Related Party Transactions

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2012

Related Party Transactions [Abstract]

Related Party Transactions

Note 13 – Related Party Transactions

In April 2000, we acquired a 20% working interest in Gunnison, a deepwater Gulf of Mexico prospect, from a third party.Financing for the exploratory costs of approximately $20 million was provided by an investment partnership (OKCD Investments, Ltd. or “OKCD”), the investors of which include current and former Helix senior management, in exchange for a revenue interest that is an overriding royalty interest of 25% of Helix’s 20% working interest. Production began in December 2003. Our payments to OKCD totaled $1.7 million and $2.3 million for the three-month periods ended March 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively.Our Chief Executive Officer, Owen Kratz, through Class A limited partnership interests in OKCD, personally owns approximately 81% of the partnership. In 2000, OKCD also awarded Class B income participations to key Helix employees, who are required to maintain their employment status with Helix in order to retain such income participations.